Murdered student’s mother calls for more arrests

Crime Suppression police bring suspects in the screwdriver murder of a Silpakorn University student to the Criminal Court in Bangkok to seek detention. Photo: Patipat Janthong

Parents of the Silpakorn University student who was stabbed to death with a screwdriver last month are calling on authorities to seek arrest warrants for three other suspects allegedly involved in the murder for questioning, a senior police officer says.

Speaking yesterday after discussing progress in the case with investigators, deputy national police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said Areerat Chomlok, the mother of victim Teerapong Thitathan, has asked why no additional arrest warrants have been issued for the three other suspects.

In earlier reports, one of the three suspects was said to be the relative of a local politician.

Teerapong, a 24-year-old student at Silpakorn University’s Phetchaburi campus, died on Feb 25 after being beaten and stabbed in the head with a screwdriver in his dormitory in Cha-am district.

Four other students were badly hurt. Three of the injured filed a complaint against the attackers at Cha-am police station last week.

Based on an earlier investigation, Pol Gen Srivara said the suspect said to be related to a politician was not present at the crime scene when the attack took place.

He said he had ordered investigators overseeing the case to determine whether the suspect was involved in any way after a background check found he had had a brawl with Teerapong’s friends.

Pol Gen Srivara added investigators are looking into claims the suspect is indeed related to a local politician.

The deputy national police chief said the DNA sample collected from trousers belonging to detained suspect Dechathorn Moonmanee, who allegedly stabbed Teerapong with the screwdriver, matched the sample taken from Teerapong.

On Wednesday, police searched Dechathorn’s room at an apartment in Soi Charan Sanitwong 65 in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat district to gather evidence in the case. They took a DNA sample from trousers found in his room for examination. The findings would be included as evidence.

Meanwhile, Ms Areerat also demanded investigators question other witnesses who may have useful information. She was speaking after meeting Crime Suppression Division commander Pol Maj Gen Suthin Sapphuang and a representative of the Ministry of Justice who gave her compensation of 110,000 baht.

Asia's Latest and Greatest News Media Group - All the interesting local, national and world events as soon as they happen.
To reach 750,000 world-wide readers a month for as little as $150 please ask for a rate card